New Kidz is a Jamaican dancehall and reggae artist best known
for a melodic, club-ready style that sits comfortably between
straight-ahead dancehall and singjay flow. Born Anthony Bennett in
Kingston, he began moving toward music as a teenager and built his
early reputation on sound system work, recording, and the kind of
grassroots studio hustle that shapes many of Jamaica’s enduring
voices. His early years around local music circles helped him
develop a direct, relatable approach that would later become one of
his calling cards.
He first came to wider attention through singles and collaborations
that moved steadily through the dancehall circuit, including early
material such as “Help” and later recordings like “Man A Galis” and
“Flava.” Industry coverage in Jamaica also places him in the orbit
of Buju Banton’s Gargamel camp in the 2000s, a period that helped
sharpen both his writing and his stage confidence. That mentorship
is often reflected in the way New Kidz delivers his songs: grounded
in everyday street life, but smooth enough to cross over into party
and radio spaces.
A major step in his career came with the release of his debut
album, Check, issued through Locke City Music Group and Truckback
Records. The album confirmed him as more than a singles artist and
showcased the range that had already made him a familiar name on
riddim compilations and juggling sets. Around the same period, he
was heard on songs that expanded his profile beyond Jamaica,
including collaborations such as “Money Green” with Lady Saw and
Eve and the dance-floor favourite “Street Pledge” with Ding Dong
and Baby Chris. On his own records, he leaned into songs such as
“Nuh Fear,” “Zero The Game,” “Go Go Dancer,” and “Tip Up pon Yu
Toe,” which helped define his balance of streetwise lyrics and
easygoing rhythm.
New Kidz has remained a recognisable figure in the Jamaican
dancehall landscape because his music is rooted in movement, hooks,
and plainspoken storytelling rather than excess. Whether appearing
on local riddims or fronting his own releases, he has kept a style
that feels built for both the stage and the sound system, with
enough warmth and clarity to cut through a crowded field of
voices.
